Percy bites the bullet
by Samantha2611
Summary: This story is in honour of the people who died in the terrorist attack in Paris this week. Percy's on his way back to camp after visiting his mother when he's caught in the middle of a terrorist attack. What will the Hero of Olympus do? T because all my stories are (any slight language).
1. Chapter 1

**A/n:**

 **This fic is a two-shot to raise awareness of gun violence, it was inspired by the tragedy in Paris where over 120 people lost their lives due to terrorism. Gun violence and terrorism is bad! I cannot stress that enough. I know it's obvious but it's good to really stop and think about it sometimes. The first half will be the experience and the second will be the after affects.**

Percy P.O.V

It was a normal day, I had just been to visit my mother and I was in the underground about to get on a train to go back to camp when it happened.

I was on the platform about to get on the train, there were people on their own back from work, there were groups of friends, laden with bags from a New York shopping spree, and there were families. One family in particular caught my eye, they were just two metres away from me as I waited for my train, it was a mother and daughter: the girl looked barely five, she had cute blond pig-tails and was holding a much-loved teddy by the hand, as if it were a person, she was a little ball of energy, fidgeting and wanting to play. She had bright blue eyes so full of innocence it filled my heart, I hadn't seen innocence like that since before the wars. The mother was in her twenties, with blond hair like her daughter's but clear, sapphire green eyes. What struck me the most was that neither of them could stop smiling, as if they didn't have any grave responsibilities and were just enjoying life and I suppose that was true. They looked so full of life and like the rest of the people there, maybe even more so, they had so much to live for. That small girl just wouldn't stop playing and, when it sounded, the crystal sound of pure happiness seemed to make all my worries, griefs and and responsibilities just fade away as that lovely tinkling bell enveloped my soul like a loving hug.

Then the train came.

It was the normal commute train, filled with people going about their lives, mostly business men running to some important meeting or another, but then the five men in black clothing came out. They wore baggy jackets and had black hats pulled low so that you couldn't clearly make out their faces. You could just see the thick black and brown stubble that covered their jaws and chins. They could have been just another group of people if they hadn't stopped and shouted.

The man in the front, clearly the leader, I could recognise a leader from anywhere, stopped walking once he was three feet off the train and put his hand in his jacket, the other men following his example. I was getting suspicious by now so I edged closer to the mother and saughter to protect them if need be, maybe they were monsters in disguise trying to hunt me down. Never did it occur to me that they could be a mortal danger, it was weird being attacked and it not being because I was me.

"Everyone on the ground," his voice was gruff, as if he never spoke, only shouted, "On the ground now or you'll never stand again." By now people were screaming, he and his men had taken out guns, automatics, I recognised them, Ares was fond of them for the amount of bullets they could shoot in ten seconds. Oh crap.

Everyone fell to the ground as quickly as they could. But one poor commuter just wasn't quick enough.

BANG!

Just like that, he was dead.

The bullet from one of the men's guns had hit him right in the heart, killing him instantly. Just like that he was torn from this life and sent to Hades, just like that he was taken from the friends and family he had now left behind. Just like that he was dead.

The mother next to me screamed. It was probably the first death she had seen, probably the first death most people here had ever seen. Not a good way to experience death for the first time, that child and mother's innocence would never be the same again. Those pure, innocent eyes had seen death, murder, and now there was no going back. I hated them for that.

"Learn to follow our demands quicker people or you'll suffer the same fate." That voice was cruel, crueller then even Kronos had seemed.

We stayed in that situation for ages, lying on the floor and occasionally being killed for not following demands quick enough. It was massacre, senseless massacre. It made my blood boil. And here I was, the bloody hero of Olympus twice over, lying on the floor helpless as some mad men with guns killed innocents! I couldn't use my powers or my whole kind would suffer and if I simply went to them and fought I would be dead before I moved a metre.

It had been half an hour and the outside world knew something was wrong, no trains had been coming in and the platform had been closed off.

Then the worst happened, I saw the mother go to her phone and click on the emergency call button and put it on voice mail, hiding it back in her purse.

"Alright people," the first man was speaking again, "Everyone of you is going to slowly get up and walk to the side of the platform then sit down again in a straight line with your backs to the tracks so that we can see all your pretty little faces." He was sick. "If you move too quickly I will kill you and if you don't move when you're told, well it's kind-of obvious by now isn't it?" It had been one hour now and out of the 36 people originally on the platform there were now only 23. 13 people had been brutally murdered before our eyes for no reason other than sadistic joy.

I heard shouts from outside and saw movement through the windows connecting the platform to the rest of the station, the speaker phone had evidently worked, the police were hear.

Then it all went wrong.

The men saw the police and instantly bristled, they turned to us with murder in their eyes, "Did one of you call them?" The leader asked slowly. Staring at each of us in turn, his gaze was one of cold fury, cold fury mixed with unmatched madness. When he stared into my eyes I was reminded of looking into Tartarus' eyes, there was no mercy in those eyes. As if he'd never experienced anything remotely good, only cruelty. I knew that is that stare had such an affect on me, someone who was used to facing unimaginable terrors, then the young mother next to me would surly break.

And she did.

When the man looked into her eyes she whimpered and the man locked on her. "Was it you sweet heart, did you call the police? Where you the one who tried to stop me and my men?" She whimpered again and it was clear he knew. It was obvious to everyone.

"Well little miss. Can you guess what happens to bitches who betray us?" He had gone from an appearance sadistically, manipulatively kind to a brutal killer in seconds. Insanity.

She whimpered again, there was nothing for her to say. He was going to kill her. I couldn't let him.

The police were almost in now, so close. But he had the gun levelled at her, with a twitch of his fingers that innocent little girl could be motherless in seconds. There was nothing the police could do, they were too fare away and the little girl was shouting. The man was shouting now. He was raging at her. Screaming about betrayal and police and how he would kill her.

He lifted the gun to chest height, so it was pointing directly at her heart. The police were breaking in, just a few more seconds and we'd be safe. Then-

"Time to die bitch!" He screamed and his trigger finger moved.

It's funny, people always say that in this type of situation that time slows down and everything becomes a blur. But the opposite happened to me, it was like my ADHD went into over-drive. Everything sped up and I saw everything in perfect clarity. Every detail.

I saw how he tensed he wrist right before he pulled the trigger, how the smoke spiralled from the barrel as the bulled leapt from it, leaving a streak in the air. A deadly tail of smoke, like the tail of Chimera. I saw the young mother close her eyes tight shut and grasp her daughters hand, I heard the police shout and heard them shout at her to move, but she couldn't she was obviously frozen in terror, as if she'd looked into the eyes of a drakon. Her body and mind paralyzed with terror and I couldn't let it happen.

I saw the scenery move before I realized I was moving. I was running, I realized. Running towards the young mother. I connected with her and felt her body stiffen in surprise. I heard more people shouting even louder, I went numb, then I felt it.

The pain.

Like a sword but faster, and ripping me apart as if went. A current of pain and destruction, a riptide.

Oh the irony.

I heard more shouts and saw the man tackled to the ground as I hit it. My head hit the ground and I felt myself being pulled into unconsciousness.

My thoughts started to blur together.

"Boy!" Someone was trying to talk to me, to call me. "You need to stay awake! Just stay awake, we can help, we can save you, you just need to stay awake! You're a fighter, that's obvious from how long you've stayed awake, but we need you to stay conscious just a little bit longer!" I felt someone put pressure on my side. It felt like they'd poured greek-fire into it! I must've groaned in pain because the man spoke again.

"That's right kid. I know it hurts but focus on the pain, it'll keep you with us. Keep you awake."  
I did, and by Tartarus it hurt! I can't describe it, as they moved me the pain took over for a minute, it felt as if it was the only thing in the universe. I heard a scream somewhere in the distance. I only realised it was mine when the man started to reassure me again.

"Don't worry kid, just focus on staying awake." The world was a blur of sound now, people shouting, screaming and talking. I could feel myself moving now, must be in an ambulance. I heard sirens and knew I was right.

People were moving around me and then the ambulance jerked and my side felt as if Kampe poison was being poured into it.

When the pain dulled the blackness came back and the world started to fade again.

I felt the pain and heard a bleeping sound.

The last thing I heard was someone screaming "Code blue!" before the world went black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Shooters in the New York Underground** **-New York Times**

 **Boy saves mother in crazed shooter attack.**

 _Thirteen people died in a terrorist, gun-men attack in the New York underground today._

 _Police were called to the scene by a young mother, one of the hostages, calling_

 _911 and putting the phone on speaker. Later, just as the police were about to break in_

 _the gun-men found out it was her and would've killed her, leaving her five-year-old_

 _daughter motherless, if a brave young boy by the name of Percy Jackson hadn't taken the_

 _bullet for her. He was on his way out of the city after visiting his mother when the attack happened_

 _and he selflessly jumped in front of the woman without a second thought. The country is_

 _praying for him._

 _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Echoes.

Echoes of voices seemed to filter into my consciousness.

As if they were shouting down a tunnel in the labyrinth.

Then I could make out words.

Snippets of the conversation.

"-gun-shot wound-"

"-jumped in front-"

"-why can't we-" That voice sounded frantic, almost angry with worry, while the other seemed like it was trying to be calming and conceal fear simultaneously.

"-Doctors would wonder if he miraculously healed-"

"-in pain-" That one seemed like a question.

"-unimaginable amount-"

"-when-" another question.

"-should wake up eventually-"

"-should-" That was screeched. It made my ears hurt. I tried to move to block out the sound, but when I did horrendous agony burnt through my body.

I felt only flames for a moment, then it faded. Faded into what felt like a constant stabbing motion.

"-heart rate monitor went crazy-" It sounded scared again. Hold on! I recognised that voice, it was Annabeth!

I tried to tell her that I was fine, but then I felt the agony again. The fire ripped through my body, tearing apart my consciousness, but then it faded again.

Why couldn't I move?!

I started to panic but then I remembered, the gun-men. I was shot!

The mother and daughter, the gun-men, the police and the bullet.

Ok. I'd been shot. But I needed to move. I needed to reassure Annabeth. So, I thought, lets start with the toes...nothing but agony...okay, don't panic. The fingers, they'll be easier...YES! I moved! Someone in the room's breath caught. I could hear it all now.

"He moved! His fingers. They moved!"

"Hold on Annabeth, let me check on him." The calming voice! It was Apollo!

"Yep. He's trying to wake up. Hold on I'll help him." And just like that, the pain was still unbearable, but just like that I opened my eyes to the faces of concerned family.

I would be alright. I would deny Charon.

I would survive the agony for my family.

It was simple really.

They needed me, so I'd survive for them.

 **A/n:**

 **I hope this made everyone more aware. It was nothing like what happened, but it gets the message across. The second part, as I said, will be about the after affects. I hope you liked this, or at least that it struck a chord. I tried to do it justice.**

 **This was in honour and memory of all the victims of terrorism and gun-violence. My thoughts are with their family and friends.**

 **I hate being this serious but some things just are serious. I hope I did this well.**

 **-Samantha2611**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n:**

 **Sorry this is late, I was really, really busy yesterday with school work and the like.**

 **As you probably know (if you don't you need to read the first chapter) the first chapter was about when 'it' (get your minds out the gutter, this is serious fic) happened, this chapter will be about the repercussions or aftershocks. How Percy deals with what happened. A brutal, reasonless terrorist attack is very different than a war with reasons, at least in the wars no-one was ever truly defenceless. Well I hope you like this.**

Percy P.O.V

It had been six days.

Six days since I was shot.

Six days since I saved a life.

Six days since 13 died.

Six days since I failed to save 13.

They told me, one day after 'it', happened that I was shot in the side and in the upper half of my thigh. They told me a lot of detail about how the bullets entered me, how they ripped through my fragile body like I was paper and then how one of them burst out. Then they told me about how they had cut open my side and taken out the bullet fragments. They told me all thin in great detail.

All I knew was that it hurt.

A lot.

Annabeth tried to talk to me, said I did all I could and that I was a hero. I was really sick of being hero.

I'd been a hero since I was 12 years old, six years of heroism and it's getting really old.

And now, with all that training, out of 14 people I could only save one! I am the freaking HERO OF OLYMPUS I should be able to save people from some stupid mortals, some stupid, weakling mortals and yet I stood by and let them die!

Chiron said that I did everything I could, that if I'd used my powers every demi-god on earth would be hunted. That I was a brave person to jump in front of the young mother, I was told her name was Amelia and that her daughter was called Penny. They told me that when they came to visit on the second day, the day when I was fully conscious.

~~Flash back~~

I had just woken up, my side and leg hurt like Tartarus, it was still burning as if someone was holding a torch to my side. The agony was intense, the doctors said I was the strongest person they'd ever met, that I should still be blacked out from the pain and that I was a true soldier to fight fight the pain even when they couldn't give me pain-killers for fear that they aggravated my wounds even more. I was sick of being a soldier too.

The papers called me brave and noble, I felt cowardly and weak. They called it an amazing sacrifice, I called it my duty, and the least of it at that. Damn my ADHD brain for wandering.

I just wanted to sleep, then they came in.

The little girls innocence seemed almost lost. It wasn't fair. She shouldn't see that sort of thing. Not ever.

And the woman seemed scared, as if I was terrifying.

"H-hello." She stammered, clearly nervous. I didn't feel like it but I smiled at her non-the-less, the fact that she was still here for her daughter was the only good thing I did that day, I wasn't going to ruin it now.

"Hello." I said back, my voice was slightly raspy from disuse and my body felt like it was being torn apart by every movement, but I tried to be reassuring anyway.

"I guess I should say thank you. Thank you for saving my life." Once she said the words and I smiled back she looked as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Of course, it was the least I could do." That statement seemed to confuse her.

"But-but why? You're only eighteen. Why jump in front of a bullet for me." I looked her straight in the eyes.

"Because you have so much to live for, a whole life and a young child. So much to live for, so much joy and innocence."

"You say that as if you don't. You're only eighteen." I just looked at her. Then Penny piped up.

"Does that hurt." She asked this so innocently, I thought maybe that her innocence may just survive.

"A little, but it's worth it and I can ignore it. Are you ok."

"Yeah. Mummy says that's because of you." She was thoughtful for a moment, "Thank oo." Her five year old accent was adorable, it made me forget my troubles for a moment. Maybe thing would be alright.

"Of course little one."

"Is there anything we can do to help you?" The mother-Amelia-was genuinely asking.

"No, maybe just visit once in a while. Please."

"Of course."

~~End Flash Back~~

That conversation had really helped me and the mother and daughter came and visited every day after that, bringing Penny's father on the last three days. He talked to me alone and thanked me profusely for saving his family. He was a war veteran, Afghanistan, he said that I was as brave as some of the soldiers out there then gave me a weird look and asked if I'd seen combat, apparently I had the haunted look of some of the veteran commanders who'd seen the worst of it.

'Some', I'd said, but I'd be completely fine and it was nothing. He had looked at me for a moment and I'd been scared he was going to push it and shifted uncomfortably in place only to groan in pain as the agony tore through my side. My groan snapped him back and he thanked me again before leaving, he treated me with profound respect after that.

Over the next three days I was confined to the hospital bed, mum and Paul came visiting, so did Dad and some of the other Olympians. Apollo said I's have some scars, but I'd heal and the pain would fade eventually. I said it was fine-again-I'd been through worse. Campers came as well, Romans and Greeks, even the hunters and Artemis. They all said I was brave and did a great thing.

Today I can finally get out of bed, I'm going to walk on crutches, in a month or two I'd be able to walk slowly unaided and month or so after that I'd be able to walk and move like I did before, barely even any phantom pains should haunt me, after everything I'd been through I knew I'd be fine.

In half a month a journalist wants to come talk to me about what happens, I'm just going to tell him the truth, cutting out the parts about demi-gods.

My friends kept saying I had been brave and done a great thing, and, although I grieved and felt guilty for not being able to save the other 13, I had saved one. I'd made sure a young girl still had a mother and a man still had a wife, I'd kept a family together and I was proud.

Terrible thing had happened, but good had happened too.

Yes 13 had died, but 23 had survived.

It was a tragedy, and we need to remember the victims, those who have fallen, but we need to live in the present. Remember those who have died, but live for those who survived.

 **A/n:**

 **There you go, that is the end of my two-shot. I hope you liked it. I am actually kind of proud of it.**

 **I'm considering doing a sequel about how people treat Percy at school after this because I like the story line but it may not happen. I tried to do this justice and I hope I succeeded. #prayforParis**


End file.
